Article supporting device



May 9, 1950 HOWARD 2,506,596

ARTICLE SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 28, 1945 ILEI E 7 7x I 4x .5

l8 g I? I 7 AUSTIN L 'H SWKEZ 3M W W/7'4 Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICLE SUPPORTING DEVICE Austin L. Howard, Washington, D. C.

Application September 28, 1945, Serial No. 619,268

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

6 Claims.

amended April 30, 1928;

This invention relates to article supporting devices, and more particularly to a device for supporting an article of the type which requires forced draft cooling.

Certain types of articles are intended to operate at such elevated temperatures that ordinary cooling by ventilation is inadequate and. thus, in some cases, water cooling is employed, while in other cases forced air cooling is employed, the air being circulated under pressure across the article. For example, where high power vacuum tubes are employed, it is often necessary to provide some means whereby the tube may be maintained at a safe operating temperature. Where feasible, it is, of course, desirable to avoid the use of water cooling devices because of the complexity of such devices and danger of leakage. Thus, it is sometimes the practice to provide fins which are fixed to the tube and increase the loss of heat to the air. In combination with forced circulation, this type of cooling is quite eificient. However, it will be apparent that a stream of air upon striking a side of the tube will be deflected away from the tube and thus the opposite side .of the tube will not receive maximum benefit of the stream of air. Furthermore, very often ithe means employed to support the tube actually interferes with the cooling of the tube.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved article supporting device, and more particularly a device for both sup- ;porting an air-cooled tube and for increasing the .efiiciency of the cooling means.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, as applied to the cooling of an aircooled type of tube having cooling fins associated therewith, a supporting device may be provided comprising a pair of spaced, opposed, clamping members, which may be mounted directly on the apparatus wall and which are so formed as to engage the peripheries of the cooling fins and to enclose the portion of the tube to be cooled. One end of an air duct is fixed to the wall, which is suitably apertured, and opens into the space between the clamping members. Ports are formed in the clamping members on the portions thereof opposite the supporting wall and thus the stream of air from the air duct is caused to travel across the fins and around the tube before escaping through the ports.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent'from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an air cooled type 2 vacuum tube having cooling fins associated therewith, the tube being supported by a mounting device constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, a portion of a side wall 5, which may form a part of an apparatus housing, is shown, on the left side of which, as viewed in these drawings, is fixed a mounting plate 6. The mounting plate 6, which may be made of a material such as Bakelite having both electrical and thermal insulating properties, serves as a support for a pair of spaced, opposed clamping members or plates 1, having a suitable configuration to engage and enclose annular cooling fins 8 mounted around the midportion of a tube 9, of conventional design. The portions of the clamping members intended to engage and support the tube 9 are curved to closely engage the peripheries of the circular fins 8 of the tube 9. Bolts Iii extend through the left portions of the clamping members I and may be tightened to cause the clamping members to engage the fins 8 and support the tube 9 on the plate 6. It will be understood that the provision of the plate 6 is not essential and that in many cases it will be feasible to mount the clamping members I directly on the wall 5 where it is not necessary to insulate the tube electrically or thermally from the supporting wall.

In order to provide forced air cooling of the tube 9, a duct [4 is fixed to the right side of the wall 5 by a flange l5 associated with the duct l4, and the wall 5 is provided with an aperture 16 which connects with the duct M and on its left side with an aperture ll formed in the mounting plate 6. A number of ports [8 are formed in the left portions of the clamping members 7 and so located that when a stream of air is directed through the apertures l6 and I? and against the tube 9, it will be caused to travel substantially around the tube 9 before escaping through the ports I8 and the space !9 between the left ends of the clamping members 1. It will be apparent that by providing sufiicient space between the left ends of the clamping members, the ports [8 will not be necessary. Thus, it will be apparent that in accordance with this invention, a support has been provided for the tube which permits obtaining maximum efficiency in cooling from the stream of air while rigidly supporting the-tube.

While this invention has been shown and described in conjunction with an electronic tube,

it will be understood that it is equally applicable to other devices which must be supported and provided with forced air cooling.

While but one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

The invention shown and described herein may be manufactured or used by or for the Goy-. ernment of the United States of America for governmental purposes Without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for supporting'an article to be cooled, a mounting plate, a pair of spaced, opposed clamping members mounted on said mounting plate, said clamping members being formed to engage and enclose the portion of said article to be cooled, means for causing said clamping members to engage the article, an air duct associated with said mounting plate, said mounting plate having an aperture formed therethrough to permit air from said duct to be directed against and to pass around each side of the portion of said article enclosed by said clamping members, and

said clamping members having escape ports formed in the portions thereof substantially opposite said mounting plate to permit air to escape after having passed around a side of said article.

2. In a device. for supporting an article to be cooled, a pair of spaced, opposed clamping members. operative to. physically support said article, said clamping members being formed to engage and enclose the portion of said article to be cooled, an air duct associated with said clamping members for directing air against and around each side of the portion of said article enclosed by said clamping members, and said clamping members, having escape ports, formed in the portions ther s tant a ly opposi e id air t to permit air o. sc pe f r hav n p s a d a de of said. a ti l posite said air duct to permit air to escape after having passed around a side of said tube across said fins.

4. In a device supporting an article to be cooled, a pair of spaced, opposed clamping members, said clamping members being formed to engage and enclose the portion of said article to be cooled, an air duct associated with said clamping members for directing air against and around each side of the portion of said article enclosed by said clamping members, said clamping members having escape ports formed in the portion thereof substantially opposite said air duct to permit air to escape after having passed around a side of said article, and means for causing said clamping members to engage the article.

5. A device for supporting an air cooled tube having annular cooling fins associated therewith comprising a pair of spaced, opposed, clamping members formed to engage and enclose the peripheries of the fins, an air duct associated with said clamping members and so located as to direct a current of air across said fins whereby said cure rent of air will follow said fins around each side of said tube, said clamping members having escape ports formed in the portions thereof sub? stantially opposite said airduct to. permit air to escape after having passed around a sidev of said tube across said fins and means for causing said clamping members to engage the. fins.

6. In a device for supporting an article to. be c led, a p ir c opposed a pin m mbers operative to h cal y sun-port a d art l said clamping members being formed to engage and enclose the portion of; said article to be o d r u ssociates wit a d mp n members andpositioned so as to direct a current of air against and around each side. of the portion of said article enclosed by said clamping members, and escape means associated with said pin b d; at adie en heside of said article opposite from that against which the current of air is directed, to permit air ese cape after having passed around a side of said article. r

' AUSTIN L. HOWARD;

REFERENCES CITED T e oll w eierences re f ecord in the e Oith s a ent: 

